


Charcoal Dust in My Eyes

by betheflame, Nixie_DeAngel



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Getting Together, Grief, M/M, Matchmaking, Minor Character Death Off Page, Pepper’s A Widow, Peter Parker is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:02:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21964027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/betheflame/pseuds/betheflame, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nixie_DeAngel/pseuds/Nixie_DeAngel
Summary: Dr. Tony Stark teaches engineering at Stonybrook University, so he assumed his son would attend there. Instead, Peter chooses nearby Fallwell State and gets assigned Art Professor Steve Rogers as an interdisciplinary advisor.If that wasn't annoying enough, Rogers' best friend Bucky happens to be the guy who Tony and his best friend Pepper have a bit of a history with and NO ONE holds a grudge like Tony Stark.But then... Pepper tells him to stand down and so does Peter and what if Bucky isn't the enemy... does that mean he can do something about this crush on Steve?
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Pepper Potts, Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 38
Kudos: 198
Collections: Marvel Reverse Big Bang 2019





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Marvel Reverse Big Bang 2019 - a collaboration between Nixie_DeAngel and BeTheFlame. 
> 
> Thanks to HogwartsToAlexandria for all the cheerreading and mad beta skills.

* * *

**August**

Tony Stark hadn’t had a one night stand in exactly 17 years, 8 months, and 12 days. He knew this exact number off the top of his head since he was currently staring at the product of it - all 5’8” of excitable college freshman that was Peter Stark - and would never, for a second, forget the moment the doctor placed the wriggling newborn into his arms.

Nor the moment that Sunset looked up at him from the bed and said, _“He’s yours. I don’t want him. Send me papers, send me whatever, but I’ve already given my body over to him for 9 months, and I’m not wasting any more time.”_

_“8 months and 12 days,” Tony automatically corrected, not taking his eyes off Peter. “But, noted. I’ll have my lawyers draw the papers.”_

Since that moment, it had been him and Pete. He’d lived through Peter’s obsessions with baseball, spiders, crime fighting, and a particularly unfortunate season where the only show he’d allow on the television was _101 Dalmatians_.

And now he was going to college.

Where had the time gone?

Of course, as Peter was a Stark, and therefore contrary to his very core, he refused to attend Stonybrook University, where Tony had been on faculty for the past 12 years and where Peter would attend for free. No, the punk had gone and gotten accepted to Stonybrook’s rival, Fallwell State, because Peter felt the physics program was better.

 _Better_ , Tony huffed internally as he carried a Rubbermaid bin full of blankets and first-aid supplies and followed Peter into his dorm room. _What does that even mean, better?_

“Dad,” Peter’s voice broke his reverie. “What else did Aunt Pepper pack?”

“The easier question to answer, my boy, is what Aunt Pepper _didn’t_ pack,” Tony snorted. “You have enough medicine and first aid supplies to last through at least two weeks of lab accidents, a bunch of packets of peanut butter because she’s evidently afraid you’re me and will forget to eat, and then she washed your sheets and towels in our detergent so that your bed would smell like home. And that’s just this bin.”

Peter simultaneously blushed and rolled his eyes. “She does remember that I’m only 45 minutes away from home, right?”

“Yes, but our calculations had you being only 12 minutes from home and you know she’s going to fret that those extra 33 minutes will mean you will perish.”

“She will not,” the woman herself announced as she entered the dorm room, brandishing bags of food supplies from Trader Joe’s. “And you can roll your eyes at me all you want, Peter Stark, but I am your godmother and the only one you’ve got. So, put that television down, take that box from your father, and make your bed.”

“Yes, Auntie Pep,” he replied, deploying his childhood nickname for her, knowing full well that it was her kryptonite.

She quirked her eyebrow at him and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

The next hour or so was full of settling Peter in, making sure that they left room for the roommate who had yet to arrive, and Tony specifically spent it trying not to cry. _Focus on Peter and his excitement and this new chapter of his life. Do not cry. Do not cry. Do not - dammit, Stark, that choked up feeling needs to go._

Finally, every bin had been unpacked and Pepper felt the room was fully stocked and there was no reason for the adults to linger any longer.

“You are less than an hour away,” Peter reminded his father as they hugged. “I can see you in less time than it takes you to finish a day in _Stardew Valley_.”

“You are a menace and I have never loved you,” Tony responded to the insult. He kissed the top of Peter’s head emphatically and then pulled back from the hug. He grasped his son’s face in his hands. “Serious time, pal. This has the potential of being some of the most important years of your life, as long as you live them. You’re going to fuck up and I’m going to freak out and you’re going to learn shit and you’ll probably fall in love and Aunt Pep will keep me in my tree and everything is going to be great. Just… have fun, be wise, and make good choices.”

“I love you, too, Dad,” Peter replied and pulled his father back into a hug.

When Pepper had imparted her own wisdom ( _Do not - under any circumstances - pledge Sigma Chi or I will personally end you, and please make sure to eat at least one vegetable per day, and text your dad at least every other, or he’ll be a nightmare_ ), she and Tony took their leave and wandered to their cars.

“He’s going to be wonderful,” Pepper smiled at her best friend.

“Oh, I know,” Tony said. “I raised him.”

Pepper rolled her eyes and climbed into her car. “Salmino’s? I could go for salmon.”

“Whoever gets there first, grab the fried calamari. We’re eating our feelings tonight.”

* * *

“I’m excited,” Steve Rogers said later that evening to his landlord/best friend, James “Bucky” Barnes, Esquire as the pair played a few rounds of _Mario Kart_. “I think teaching will be a good challenge, and I’m so fucking tired of not being able to pay rent without giving myself a few stress ulcers each month. It’s been three years since I had any sort of steady commission and this is the right opportunity at the right time and I can’t beat the rent.”

“Punk, I ain’t gonna let you pay me in repainting my house forever,” Bucky muttered.

“I know,” Steve grinned. “But I just can’t believe I have to do this much for this little pay.”

Bucky snorted. “Did you think that being an associate art professor at Fallwell State was going to lead to champagne wishes and caviar dreams?”

Steve flipped him off quickly before swerving into Princess Peach. “No, but I didn’t think I’d be teaching three classes and advising fifteen students and be required to sit on three committees.”

Bucky/Luigi raced across the finish line in first place and the pair decided to shut off the console.

“You got their names?” Bucky headed into the kitchen, pulled two bottles of Lagunitas IPA from the fridge and passed one to Steve as he sat back down on the couch and turned on an episode of Ice Road Truckers.

Steve pulled out his phone and scrolled a bit. “The first one I have tomorrow is Peter Stark, and Mikayla Anderson, Patina Shu, and Ryan Matheson. That’s all the hard science kids. Then a few English, and the rest are undeclared.”

He looked back up to see Bucky staring at him, mouth frozen open. “What?”

“Stark. That name don’t ring any bells?”

“No, should it?”

Bucky nodded. “The big case I did a few years back, the hit and run where the man died?”

“The one that...?”

“Yeah, that one, the widow was Stark’s best friend. Motherfucker hates me because I defended the asshat who killed her husband,” Bucky took a long sip of his beer. “Not that I blame him. At all. I should never have taken that case.”

Steve blinked at Bucky a few times. That case had _destroyed_ Bucky. He'd almost surrendered his law license. Cary Burrowes had been behind the wheel of a car while both high on marijuana and texting when he slammed into the side of Harold Hogan’s car, killing Harold instantly. Bucky had taken the case because Cary was broke, and had been on the way to the hospital to see his grandmother who had just had a stroke. What happened to Harold was terrible, and Cary’s decision-making was certainly questionable, but vehicular manslaughter seemed too rough to Bucky.

And then Bucky had gotten to know Cary and had quickly began to pray he’d lose the case.

That feeling didn’t ease up any when he’d met Harold’s widow - Virginia Potts Hogan. She’d told the court to call her “Pepper” and talked at length about what a wonderful man her husband had been. She asked for justice, said Happy - that’s what they called him - wouldn’t want anything less. It calcified into complete regret when he heard that Pepper had just had a miscarriage and that’s why Happy had been on the road that night - he was heading to buy another heating pad since theirs had gone on the fritz.

His client, on the other hand, was only racing to his grandmother to make sure he’d get some of her inheritance, was one of the local pot dealers who sold to high school students, and basically was a walking description of an asshat who deserved to suffer for his choices. Bucky learned quickly that he needed to ask better questions during client selection if he was going to stand by the idea that he’d only defend people he believed were innocent.

Bucky had sought Pepper out right after the verdict, as Cary was getting led away in handcuffs, and apologized for taking the case. She had smiled, told him he’d just been doing his job, and not to worry about it. Her best friend, Tony, on the other hand? He’d nearly choked Bucky with his own tie and let Bucky know that Pepper may forgive him, but Tony never would.

Steve hadn’t been there for any of it - he’d just heard all of Bucky’s angst and internal struggles over the phone. That case had changed Bucky and _still_ haunted him.

“No, but that’s old territory, pal,” Steve replied, hoping to stave off a long walk down memory lane that would do nothing but have Bucky in a shame spiral for the rest of the evening. “Now you’re winning awards for your case work on the Innocence Project and everything. It was one case and she already told you she’s not mad.”

“Oh, no, I know,” Bucky shook his head. “Just, you having the kid, it’s all a little… Anyway. I’ll be fine. What courses do they have you doing?”

The pair spent the next several hours going over Steve’s new life and by the time Steve made his way to bed, he was feeling simultaneously terrified and ready to start molding young minds the next day.

* * *

****

* * *

**Ten Days** **Later**

_WhatsApp Chat: Dad &Pete_

_Dad: Welcome Weekend and the first week of class down. How did it go?_

_Peter: Fine. First week is all syllabi and meeting our advisor._

_Dad: Did you get Sapenstein?_

_Peter: No, they do interdisciplinary advisors for freshman, so we meet faculty outside of our program. I got a guy in the art department._

_Peter: It’s been fifteen minutes. Who are you googling._

_Peter: Dad, I think this is a good idea. I’ll probably get Sapenstein once I start my major classes, but this year is all the gen ed requirements and art history is one of them. So, might as well get to know my professor. Broaden my horizons._

_Peter: I’m calling Aunt Pep._

_Dad: Calm down, I was just analyzing each of the art faculty for suitability. Who did you get?_

_Peter: Oh, there is no way I’m telling you now._

_Dad: Did you get one of the new ones? They don’t have headshots yet._

_Peter: Mine’s an adjunct and he seems nice. Friendly. He asked good questions and has a dog that hangs out in his office with him._

_Dad: Sounds unsanitary._

_Peter: Sounds like an art professor._

_Dad: You know I’m going to figure out who you have._

_Peter: Maybe I want to make sure you’re not going senile in your old age, empty-nester._

_Dad: Whippersnapper, I’ll show you._

_Dad: You said ‘he’, so that eliminates four of the adjuncts._

_Dad: So, it’s Rogers or Mineharte._

_Peter: Good deduction skills, Sherlock._

_Dad: Sassing your old man is considered rude in many cultures, you know._

_Peter: But in Starklandia it was how I earned my keep._

_Peter: Clue - his office smelled like furniture polish._

_Peter: Dad?_

_Peter: Are you actually doing work?_

_Dad: It’s Rogers. Turpentine. He’s the painter. Mineharte is a critic, not a working artist._

_Peter: *slow clap*_

_Dad: Are you making all the appropriate Mr. Rogers jokes?_

_Peter: He’s, like, 30 and doesn’t wear sweater vests. Also, he’s a giant. Very different vibe._

_Dad: Like Andre levels?_

_Peter: I don’t think he’s storming the castle anytime soon, no._

_Peter: Over 6 foot, though. And built. MJ saw a photo and told me he’s swole._

_Peter: I don’t know what that means, so don’t ask me._

_Dad: And how is your lady love?_

_Dad: You know, not answering me isn’t going to deter me._

_Dad: Pete. It’s been an hour._

_Dad: I know she’s not your girlfriend, Peter. I’m sorry, I’ll stop._

_Peter: She’s in your class, you know. Your intro one. With the other 200 freshman._

_Dad: Seriously? I make, like, two appearances in that one. I let the TAs teach it. But now that MJ’s in there, I may change course._

_Peter: If you torture her in any way, I will find out and I will report you to Aunt Pep._

_Dad: I’m the very picture of professionalism, Peter Benjamin. I take deep offense at that._

_Peter: I’m walking into Pizza Hut. Meeting some people from my orientation group. Talk later._

_Dad: ly3k_

_Peter: ly3k2_

* * *

**End of September**

“He’s fine, you know,” Pepper eyed her best friend over the edge of her wine glass. “It’s been a whole month and he hasn’t gotten arrested or died.”

Tony rolled his eyes at her. “I know he’s fine.”

Her smile softened. “It’s okay to miss him.”

“The house is too quiet,” Tony grumbled. “I’m used to having, what, six or seven teenagers here like all the time. I still have MJ’s favorite cookies in the pantry. It’s just weird and I don’t like it.”

The last words came out on a pout that had Pepper putting down her wineglass and gathering her octopus of a best friend to herself. “Change is hard, Dr. Stark.”

“That’s all you got? The great and wise Virginia Hogan only has ‘change is hard’?”

“Fine,” she kissed the top of his head. “You want ‘well, Tony I told you last year that this would be hard and it would be a good idea to have another project started to throw yourself into or maybe even - god forbid - some therapy’? Because we can go down that route.”

“Change is hard works just fine,” Tony conceded.

Tony and Pepper had been best friends their entire lives, literally. They were placed next to each other in the tiny newborn beds in the hospital and their mothers had become fast friends. Tony had no memories that didn’t include Pepper and vice versa. Pepper was the first person Tony had told he was bisexual, Tony was Pepper’s date to prom because the boy she really liked turned out to be a jackass. He was her first phone call after Happy proposed, and she was his when Sunset had told him she was pregnant. Pepper had basically lived with Tony and Peter for the first year of Peter’s life, and then again for the first few months after Happy had been killed. ‘Family’ didn’t really cover what they were to each other, but the English language was limited and that was the only word they had.

“Is it time to start talking about online dating?” Pepper said quietly and Tony shifted a bit in her embrace.

“Maybe,” came the mumble. He sat up fully a few seconds later and reached for his phone. “I’ve downloaded the app.”

“That’s a great first step,” Pepper replied.

“I’ll set up a profile if you will,” Tony said and Pepper blanched.

“It’s been four years, Pep. Happy would -”

“I know he would,” she said. “But I don’t know if I want to. I just don’t.”

Uncharacteristically, Tony was quiet at that and so Pepper took a moment to gather her thoughts.

“I loved my life with Happy,” she said quietly. “And I’ve come to quite enjoy the life I have now. I miss him some days so much that I’m in physical pain, but most days I like this life. When I meet a man to welcome into this new life, I’ll know. I trusted my gut with Happy and I’ll trust my gut again. But doing an auditioning process, which is what online dating feels like to me, just feels… No, if I meet someone again, I’ll know Happy has sent him to me. No apps. Just humans.”

Tony reached for her hand and threaded his fingers through hers. “I haven’t felt like anything was missing from my life, from our life, me and Pete and you, this little family we hobbled together. Happy was the best uncle I could have ever asked for for Petey, and you just knock it out of the park. But now…”

He shook his head, as though to clear it and nearly lept off the couch.

 _Ah_ , Pepper thought to herself. _We have reached the emotional quota for the evening._

“Are you staying tonight or heading home?”

“I’ll stay,” she said, knowing that while he wouldn’t talk to her about his loneliness any more, he’d be grateful for another body in the house.

“Then I’ll get more wine for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coming Next: Tony and Steve meet for the first time and ... it doesn't go well.


	2. Chapter 2

**End of September**

“So, basically one month down,” Bucky said to Steve as they sat on the back porch enjoying some barbecued pork that Steve had been slow-roasting all day.

“Yeah, week five of the term starts Monday,” Steve said around a mouthful of potato salad.

“You feeling any more comfortable?”

Steve shrugged. “I still feel like I have no idea what I’m doing in the art history class, but I like helping the seniors with their portfolios - except for that Rumlow kid, Jesus wept on the cross, he’s an ass. The advising is way more fun than I thought it would be, I can’t lie. Especially the Stark kid, he’s hilarious.”

Bucky blanched a bit at Stark’s name, but didn’t comment, so Steve pressed on. “It’s good. You were right, I needed a change and this was a good one.”

Being told that he was right about something in Steve’s life rarely failed to cheer Bucky up, and it didn’t this time either. “Well, sometimes listening to your best friend pays off, eh?”

Steve rolled his eyes.

“Now we just gotta get you a date,” Bucky pressed on.

“No,” Steve shook his head. “I’m not letting you play matchmaker. You have terrible taste in men.”

“Not surprising since I ain’t into ‘em,” Bucky grinned.

“And yet, I have great taste in women for you,” Steve smiled with a hint of superiority. “Because I pay attention to what you like.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Bucky waved him off. “Imma find you a date, you just watch, and he’s gonna blow your socks off.”

“That’s not particularly what I need blown, buddy,” Steve took a swig of his beer and raised an eyebrow.

Bucky threw a napkin across the table at him and changed the subject to the upcoming World Series.

Later that night, when Steve was reading some class texts in bed, trying desperately to stay at least one week ahead of his students, he got a weird itch to check his email. Pulling it up on his phone, he saw one from Peter Stark.

> _Hi Prof Rogers -_
> 
> _Quick question. I was looking over the course catalog for next semester since we have to pick new classes in two weeks which is nuts because we just started these and it all feels a little overwhelming._

“Kid types like he talks,” Steve muttered to himself.

> _And I saw that there’s a photography class being offered - would that fulfill my gen ed art requirement? Because I like photography and I think I’d have fun and I think it would be a nice break from my engineering classes that start next semester._
> 
> _Thanks,_
> 
> _Peter Stark_

Steve smiled despite himself. Peter was easily his favorite student that semester. He had some really great art majors - the things that Natasha Romanova could create with paint and canvas blew his mind - but Peter was just downright fun to be around. Steve was planning on talking to him soon about the art restoration grant that had just come through.

He went to type a quick reply and then remembered the lecture he’d gotten at staff orientation about setting boundaries with students. Peter didn’t need an email back at 10:45pm - that question could hold until morning.

Instead, he lost himself in a chapter about Picasso’s influence on modern art and the next thing he knew, his morning alarm was sounding and it was time to start another day.

* * *

**October**

“You know,” Darcy offered as she stood over Tony’s desk in early October, “FERPA prevents him actually telling you anything about Peter.”

Tony glared at his TA. “Logic is what I don’t need right now, Lewis. Right now, I need creativity and nefarious planning.”

“Stark,” Darcy rolled her eyes. She’d been his TA all throughout her PhD program and had passed her exams the previous semester. Now that she was onto her independent research project, she felt even less inclined to treat Tony any differently than she would a beloved, but dramatic, uncle. “What is your drama? Your kid is amazing and really smart and it’s not like Fallwell State is a shitty school. If they hired this Rogers guy, then he’s probably good at his job and you should back off.”

Tony glared at her but grumbled consent. “Alright, back to the lab with you.”

“Aye aye, Captain,” she saluted and spun on her heel. Tony rolled his eyes good-naturedly at her retreating figure and turned back to the stack of senior project proposals he was sifting through.

“Stalking Peter’s advisor would be a whole lot more fun,” he said to his Funko collection. Tapping the Han Solo one, Han bobbled his head in agreement. “At least someone agrees with me.”

* * *

** A Few Days Later **

_WhatsApp Chat: #Dad &Pete_

_Peter: I hear Darcy gave you a talking to._

_Dad: I’ll behave._

_Dad: Are you still coming home for dinner tonight?_

_Peter: Yeah, can you pick me up from the art building? I have a meeting with Prof Rogers at 4 that should only be a few minutes._

_Dad: Yeah, that’s fine - see you at 4:15?_

_Peter: Perfect._

Later that afternoon, when Tony pulled into the parking lot of the Fine Arts Building at Stonybrook, he was shocked to see a familiar face getting out of the car next to his.

“The fuck are you doing here?” Tony says in an instant.

“Rogers lives with me,” Bucky replied. “I’m just here to pick him up ‘cause his car is in the shop.”

Tony gritted his teeth. “He’s my son’s advisor.”

“Yeah, I know,” Bucky said. “Steve mentioned it. I didn’t think it would…”

“You didn’t think I’d have to face the man who tried to free the person who killed one of my best friends?”

“You have no idea how sorry I am that I took that case and how glad I am that I lost,” Bucky said quickly. “I changed my entire career path after that, all of my standards for clients, and you have to know how sorry I am.”

“Do I? Because Happy’s in the ground and Pep has no one and I find myself unable to care about your conscience,” Tony snapped.

They were interrupted by the sound of the door opening and Peter calling out, “Dad, what’s going on?”

“Nothing, Pete, we can go now,” Tony said, his eyes not leaving Barnes’ face.

“I thought you wanted to meet Prof Rogers?”

Tony slowly turned and nearly swallowed his tongue. _Of course he has to be the fucking most gorgeous man on the face of the entire planet. Of course he does._

“He giving you a hard time, Buck?” Rogers responded, not taking his eyes off Tony.

“No more than I deserve, Stevie,” Bucky replied. “I truly am sorry and I know that means nothing, but I truly am.”

Peter whispered, “what is happening?”

“I was the defense attorney in the trial about your Uncle Happy,” Bucky turned to Peter and smiled wanly. “And this is the first time I’ve gotten to apologize to your dad about taking the case, which I shouldn’t have done.”

Peter sized Bucky up and down, and nodded. “Aunt Pepper was never mad at you. Dad just holds grudges like it’s his job, which it’s not.” That last bit was directed at Tony, who had found himself in a staring contest with Steve.

“Good to hear,” Bucky smiled. “Aight, Stevie?”

“Yeah, Buck,” Steve said, shaking his head slightly and turning his attention to Peter. “Listen, just think about what I said. You need two history credits anyway, and we could really use someone with your attention to detail.”

“Absolutely, Prof Rogers,” Peter nodded. “I’ll think about it.”

“Think about what?” Tony asked as they climbed into the car.

“There’s a special project that Prof Rogers is on, doing art restoration. The school is offering history credit for anyone who works with him on it and writes some papers on the historical significance of the art. I think I might sign up.”

Tony cut his eyes to Peter quickly as he turned onto the main road which led away from campus. “You really like this Prof Rogers then, eh?” He mentally congratulated himself for using his ‘Calm Dad Voice’ instead of snapping at Peter the way he felt like doing.

“I do,” Peter replied evenly. “And I know what you’re thinking - that I should switch advisors or something because of Aunt Pep, but she wouldn’t want that and you’re just so extra about this whole thing. It’s fine.”

“Aunt Pep would not be okay with you hanging around that lawyer,” Tony corrected.

“No, I really think she would,” Peter corrected. “She thinks your grudge is ridiculous. Plus, I’m only hanging around the lawyer’s housemate.”

“How do you know he’s living with Barnes?” Tony’s voice went up a few octaves.

“Jesus Christ, Dad, calm down before you give yourself a heart attack,” Peter muttered as he typed something into his phone. “Prof Rogers mentioned he was living with his best friend while he was settling in at Fallwell, that’s all. I knew he was a lawyer, but I didn’t really care about my professor's housemate and I don’t exactly lead get-to-know-you conversations with ‘Hey, do you know my Uncle Happy was killed by a degenerate who almost got free because he had a really good lawyer and now my father wants that lawyer illogically disbarred?’ Doesn’t really trip off the tongue.”

Tony was about to say something back when Peter brandished his phone. “Aunt Pep said she’ll talk about it when we get home.”

_Good_ , Tony thought, _Pepper will back me up and Peter will change advisors, and then we never have to see Barnes or the most gorgeous man on the planet who I cannot go after for a million reasons again._

About forty-five minutes later, Pepper proved him wrong.

“James Barnes was just doing his job,” Pepper rolled her eyes at Tony. “Justice won out and the jury saw through Burrowes’ defense, and he’s in jail and I’m at peace with it all. I even told Barnes that after the trial!”

“What?”

She skewered him with a look and then turned to Peter. “Honey, can you do me a favor and go chop the vegetables for the salad?”

“Sure, but talk loud if you’re going to tell Dad he’s wrong,” Peter replied and headed for the kitchen.

Pepper once again rolled her eyes and Tony could hear her mutter to herself that he and Peter would be the death of her. Once Peter was safely out of earshot, she continued. “Barnes came up to me after the trial and sincerely apologized - said he hadn’t asked the right questions during his original interview, and he begged my forgiveness for taking Burrowes on. I was shocked, because it didn’t seem very lawyerly, but I was grateful because it had been painful to watch someone who was clearly so skillful in a courtroom defending the man who killed Happy and who appeared to have no remorse about it. Hearing him say he regretted taking the case was so… Tony, if you fuck around with Peter’s advisor because his best friend hurt me once, know that his best friend never hurt me.”

“Pepper -”

“Stand down, Stark,” she said firmly. “Stand down.”

The pair stood in silence for a few beats before Tony held up his hands in surrender. “Fine, I won’t bring it up again.”

“Good.”

But I never said I would let it go.

* * *

**One Week Later**

“Mr. Barnes,” Bucky’s assistant buzzed his phone.

“Yeah, Cindy?”

“You have a Mrs. Hogan here? She doesn’t have an appointment.” Cindy automatically hated anyone who didn’t have an appointment.

“Why is Pepper Hogan here?” Bucky muttered to himself before telling Cindy to let her in. A few moments later, Bucky’s door opened and he struggled to not drop his jaw.

He only had vague memories of Pepper from the trial. If you pressed him, he could have told you she had red hair and wore really high heels because she had tripped just a little going into the witness stand the first day. But by the time Pepper had testified, Bucky was doing every piece of mental gymnastics he could to survive that trial and the physical features of the widow didn’t really clock on Bucky’s radar.

They certainly clocked now. She was tall - he was into tall women - and her strawberry blonde hair was pulled back into a low ponytail that only served to highlight her wide eyes and kind smile.

“Mr. Barnes, thank you so much for seeing me,” Pepper said, her voice firm, yet warm. Bucky stood from behind his desk and walked around to shake her hand. He motioned to a chair and asked her to sit.

“What can I do for you?” He asked as he sat opposite her. “Would you like some coffee?”

“No, thank you,” Pepper declined, “this will be brief. I just wanted to apologize for Tony Stark’s behavior last week when he met you and your housemate on campus. He was completely out of line and doesn’t speak for me as much as he thinks he does.”

Bucky waved her off. “Steve is also my personal attack dog, so I get it.” She looked confused, so he clarified. “Professor Rogers? His first name is Steve and, well, he’s basically my brother. He gets a little defensive.”

Pepper smiled. “Tony’s the same way. He’s basically been my brother for our whole lives, and he often forgets that I get to make decisions on my own.”

“It’s nice to be loved - “ Bucky started.

“But they can back the hell off, eh?” Pepper concluded and the pair smiled at each other.

“Well,” Pepper said after a beat, “I won’t take up more of your time.”

“While you’re here, can I just tell you once again-”

“No,” Pepper cut him off. “You said your piece in the courtroom. You’re fine.” She paused and tilted her head like she was considering saying something but wasn’t sure she should. Finally, she looked at him again. “I’ve been following your career. Happy would have been cheering you on if he was here still.”

“What?”

“Your work on the Innocence Project? And defending young men and women of color who I’m sure didn’t have the resources to pay your fees? He would have adored that.” Pepper smiled and Bucky felt his face flush.

“It’s the least I can do, honest.”

“No,” Pepper corrected. “It’s time and money and effort and it’s incredible. If you learned lessons from Happy’s death, then I’m grateful for your life.”

Bucky shook his head in disbelief.

“Mr. Barnes -”

“James, please,” he interrupted.

“James,” Pepper smiled. “Let me tell you a little about Happy, the pieces that didn’t make it into the trial. Can I?”

“I’d love that.”

“He was the gentlest, kindest man I’d ever met,” Pepper began. “But he was absent-minded at the best of times and a downright disaster at most. He was sloppy and frequently flustered by simple tasks. I loved him down to the very fiber of my bones, but Mr. Burrowes didn’t kill a saint, he killed a man. It was a horrible accident, what happened, and Cary Burrowes is a grade A cretin and I’m glad he’s in jail, but Happy died because two cars smashed into each other. That’s it. It’s that simple. And if I know Happy, he wasn’t exactly paying attention to the road either. We'd had an... emotional evening and he wasn't at his most focused. As soon as he got in the car that night, I knew I should have called Tony to run to Target because Happy was in no condition to drive.”

Bucky pursed his lips and nodded. “I’m still embarrassed I tried to defend that guy.”

“That’s on you, then,” Pepper shrugged and Bucky found himself laughing lightly. “It’s not coming from my side of the conversation.”

Bucky was quiet for a moment. “Thank you, Mrs. Hogan.”

“Please, it’s Pepper.”

“Pepper, thank you.”

“You’re welcome, James.”

They held gazes for a minute and Bucky proceeded to take the biggest risk of his life.

“Would you like to get some coffee sometime?”

Pepper took a deep breath and her face broke out in a wide grin. A piece of Bucky’s heart tumbled in her direction at the action. “I would really like that, actually.”

They exchanged numbers and Pepper paused briefly at the door as she left - “I’ll see you soon, then?”

He held up his phone. “I just texted you some times.”

She bit her lip in a smile and nodded.

It was no more than three minutes later that Bucky’s phone sounded.

_Pepper Hogan: I get off work at 4:30, so tomorrow at Cafe Cappuccino would be perfect._

_James Barnes: See you then._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FERPA, for those not in U.S. higher ed, is the law that says colleges/universities cannot reveal personal information - including grades - to the student's parents/guardians without the student's explicit permission.


	3. Chapter 3

**End of November**

Tony hated grocery shopping the week of Thanksgiving. And he hated even more that he was there for canned cranberry sauce which was an abomination unto the world that his kid loved more than life itself. And he hated _even more_ that he’d had to drive to _Fallwell_ to get it because his grocery store was out. He was already, therefore, in a foul mood when he literally ran into a human brick wall on his way back to his car.

“Watch where you’re going, jackass,” he said as he stepped back to address the wall.

“Of course it’s you,” Steve Rogers rolled his eyes.

“Of course it’s _you_ ,” Tony retorted and the pair stood nearly nose to nose for a few beats before Tony cut the silence.

“Listen, I’m told I can’t hate your cretin-defending buddy anymore, but I sure as shit can hate you if I want.”

“You call Bucky that one more time-”

“Bucky? Who the fuck is Bucky?” Tony interrupted. “Good God, man, that’s the stupidest name I’ve ever heard! Are you both five?”

Before Tony knew it, Steve’s fist was connecting with his face, and he was nearly knocked off his feet. He was about to hit Steve back when he heard James Barnes screaming at them.

“STEVEN GRANT ROGERS ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!”

“He started it,” Steve grunted.

“I don’t care! You are both - I can’t, we’re…” Bucky seemed completely defeated by the two men. “Stark, you’re a mess and I’m taking you back to my house to take a look at that eye.”

“I’m fine,” Tony snapped, and then disproved the statement by being unable to shake his head without wincing.

“No, you’re not,” Bucky responded and proceeded to essentially frog march the two men towards his car. “Get in,” he scolded as they both obediently climbed in.

And immediately began squabbling again.

“Jesus fuck, you two,” Bucky roared as he guided the car towards his house. “Pepper and I are not mad at each other, this grudge is entirely in your heads!”

“How do you know that, Barnes?” Tony sneered.

“They’ve been on three dates,” Steve responded, happy to have something to lorde over Tony.

“WHAT,” Tony exclaimed, wincing as the cut on his lip widened.

“We’re not talking about this,” Bucky responded. “We’re talking about the two of you behaving like goddamn children. You are professional adults and, like I JUST SAID, this whole thing is in your heads. Now not another word until we’re home and I can think straight and get you patched up, Tony, because you cannot drive with blood in your eye and Christ, Stevie you still have that right hook."

Silence reigned for the rest of the ride and pretty soon, Steve and Tony were in Bucky and Steve’s living room while Bucky went to fetch an ice pack and the first aid kit.

Steve was the first to speak. “I’m sorry I hit you, that was out of line.”

Tony looked like he was ready to snap back, but then let out a deep sigh. “I shouldn’t have said what I said. Are you serious that they’re dating?”

“I pried it out him last night,” Steve nodded. “I don’t know if they’re dating, but they’ve been out a few times, and he always comes back to the house really happy.”

Tony considered that and reviewed the last several times he had seen Pepper. She was a bit… lighter? “She didn’t tell me because she knew I’d do this,” Tony admitted.

“He didn’t tell me because I’ve been bugging him to date, and he didn’t want to give me the satisfaction,” Steve’s smile was wry and Tony found himself chuckling.

“So, our best friends are something-ing,” Tony replied, “and my kid really likes you, so truce?” Tony didn’t miss how Steve’s eyes brightened at the idea that Peter liked him and didn’t love what that did to his insides.

Steve stuck out his hand to shake Tony’s. “Your kid is amazing, so the feeling is mutual. So, yeah, truce.”

* * *

As fall turned into winter, Bucky and Pepper settled into something more than something. Which meant that Steve and Tony found themselves as the 3rd and 4th wheels whenever Bucky or Pepper took the whim.

Like the time they all went to see Christmas lights.

_“Pepper, are you sure? Isn’t it more of a date thing?” Tony made a face._

_“It’ll be way more fun as a group, Tony, come on!” Pepper pleaded. “Peter’s not coming home this weekend because of finals. And Silo Farms has, like, ten miles of Christmas lights. We’ll put on music, and they sell hot chocolate.”_

_“Fine, but if you force me to wear any sort of Santa hat, the deal is off.”_

Or the time Bucky ‘accidentally’ bought two extra tickets to a Mumford & Sons concert for the first weekend of January.

_“Does Tony even like Mumford & Sons?” Steve asked with a quirked eyebrow._

_Bucky shrugged. “It’s live music and doesn’t involve grading. He’s already knee-deep in some drama with the senior engineering students and Pep says he needs out of the house. She said he’s in, that’s all I know.”_

_Steve considered this._ He’s not nearly as insufferable as I thought he was, once you get to know him. Keeping up with his brain is impossible, but Pepper’s great and if she loves him, maybe there’s something I’m not seeing? _“Sure, I’m in.”_

Then there was the time Peter got the flu right before midterms, and he was panicking that he’d fail his Ancient Civilizations final and Steve just showed up at their house to help him study.

_“This seems pretty above and beyond for an advisor,” Tony raised an eyebrow at Steve as he fixed the man some coffee before Steve went to talk to Peter._

_Steve shrugged. “Fallwell guarantees its graduates a personalized experience.”_

_Tony cackled. “Bullshit, Rogers. So does Stonybrook and you don’t see me tromping around to houses to do personalized advising sessions. Out with it.”_

_A tinge of blush pinked Steve’s cheeks and Tony found himself strangely drawn to it. “Peter is such a hard worker,” he replied. “And I can’t discuss his grades or anything with you, but I’m about to tell him that he got accepted on the restoration grant for next term and I need him to have a B+ average. Failing an Ancient Civ midterm because he has the flu is not the way to guarantee that happening. So, honestly, this is entirely selfish - I need your kid’s freakish attention to detail on my project.”_

_“Raised by an engineer,” Tony smirked. “Comes with the territory, I guess.”_

_“What about Peter’s mom? What does she do?”_

_Tony shrugged. “Currently? I have no idea, but I’m sure it involves torturing interns or world domination. Sunset was never the kindest woman. We were together when we had Peter, but she signed over her rights two days after he was born and he’s never met her.”_

_“Fuck,” Steve said without thinking and then blanched. “Sorry, that’s -”_

_“No, that’s the exact right reaction to Sunset Bain, Steve,” Tony laughed. “So it’s been me and Petey Pie since literally day 2. Well, and Pepper. And then Happy for a bit.”_

_“Well, Tony, you have done a great job. He’s an amazing young man,” Steve said and the tone of sincerity in his voice nearly took Tony’s breath away. “And I’m not the only one who thinks that, you know. I had to talk to his profs just now to get the work he needed, and they were all highly complementary.”_

_Tony scuffled his feet and pursed his lips in a grin. The sound of the coffee finishing its brewing cycle saved him from an immediate answer. “Milk? Sugar?”_

_“Black with one sweetener, if you have it,” Steve replied._

_Tony nodded and fixed the coffee quickly before handing it over. “Thank you, sincerely. You never know as a parent, what they’re like out of your house, you never know. I trust Peter, but you just never know, so it’s… thanks.”_

_Their hands connected briefly and Tony did his best to ignore the sparks that traveled up his arm at the contact._

By the long weekend around Easter, Bucky and Pepper had been together for six months, and Tony and Steve had developed a bit of a friendship. They still bickered with each other, but there was an underlying fondness that hadn’t been present in the first few months. Bucky had taken to humming “Something There” from Beauty and the Beast in Pepper’s ear whenever they were around the other two and it took every ounce of her willpower to not burst out into giggles.

The weather was unexpectedly warm that Saturday and quick plans were made for a cook out at the Stark’s house. Peter brought MJ - _who he still was not dating, Dad_ \- and his roommate, Alex, and a few other friends from a study group he’d joined. It was barely controlled chaos and Tony was in his element. He loved little more than having his house full of people that he could spoil a little - even if it was just with food.

“Hey Pep?” Tony said quietly. The pair were in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on the various side dishes to go with the burgers that Bucky was grilling.

“Yeah?”

“He makes you happy, doesn’t he?”

Pepper put down the knife she was using to chop tomatoes for the salad and turned towards Tony. “He does, love, he really, really does, but in a completely different way than Happy did.”

Tony cocked an eyebrow and made a ‘go on’ motion with one of his hands.

“Happy was… well, you know how he was, but he rarely questioned me. We rarely disagreed because he was largely so amiable and the things that drove me nuts about him, well, he was never going to fix them. So it was comfortable and safe and lovely,” Pepper explained. “Whereas James… James pushes back, and pushes me. He’s sarcastic and flirty and brilliant and I feel more settled and yet completely alive with him than I’ve felt in years.”

Tony felt a tear rush to his eye. All he had ever wanted was for Pepper to be happy, and he had been so worried for the past few years. Would he have chosen Barnes for her? Not in a million years, but even Tony could concede that he was wrong sometimes.

“He’s a good look for you,” Tony smiled softly, and Pepper moved to kiss his cheek.

“Now,” she said with a twinkle in her eye. “Can we talk about how you can’t keep your eyes off of Steve?”

“I have literally no idea what you’re talking about,” Tony huffed.

“Sure, I guess maybe his ass just has eye magnets and you physically can’t look away,” Pepper snorted.

Tony calculated quickly what the emotional cost would be if he admitted the truth versus keeping up the charade and decided to take the risk. “My first assessment of the man may have been inaccurate.”

“May have been inaccurate,” Pepper repeated with a barely concealed grin.

He swatted at her with the dishtowel that had been flung over his shoulder, and she burst into laughter.

“I think,” she said quietly, but ensuring she had eye contact. “I think he may be a good look for you, too.”

Tony made a face. “Please, Pepper. He’s -”

“He’s _good_ , Tony. He’s clearly a fabulous teacher - look at all those kids out there that are tripping over themselves to be with ‘Prof Rogers’. He’s talented as fuck - have you seen the shit he can do with a canvas? He’s funny, he calls you on your shit, and not for nothing? He’s gorgeous and very, very gay.” She smirked at the last thought and hip-checked Tony playfully.

“While all those things may be true,” Tony countered, “there is no evidence he’d welcome any advances.”

“Are you Charles Dickens all of a sudden? Advances,” Pepper rolled her eyes. “Ask the man out, Tony.”

“And make it awkward when he says ‘no’, but I still have to see him all the time and Peter thinks the sun shines outta his ass? No thanks, Pep. I’m good.”

“You’re a stubborn idiot, but fine, have it your way,” Pepper replied. “Now take the potato salad and the green salad out to the table and remind James he needs four black bean burgers for MJ, Sarah, Priya, and Mark.”

Tony saluted, gathered his assignments, and headed out to the backyard.

* * *

It was dark out by the time they finished the make-your-own-sundae bar that Peter and MJ had set up and the students headed back towards campus soon after.

“Make good choices,” Tony called after them. “Guard your carnal treasure!”

“Thanks for your concern, Mr. Stark,” MJ called back, in a tone that communicated she thought nothing of the sort and Tony laughed.

Steve had never seen someone parent so effortlessly. And not just Peter, although if Steve ever got to be a dad, he’d want to be one like Tony, but all of Peter’s friends as well. He was strict when it called for it, but mostly he was a gregarious host who seemed to make everyone feel seen. Steve had been blown away earlier in the evening when he saw Tony hand Peter’s friend Priya an envelope.

_“What was that?” Steve asked Tony when the other man sat back down at the table._

_“Priya? Oh, her mom needs to go back to India and Peter told me they didn’t have space on their credit cards to cover the flight. I called in some favors and got them tickets back to Cochin,” Tony said casually._

_“You called in favors?” Steve raised an eyebrow._

_“Yeah,” Tony nodded. “I do some work for Boeing sometimes, consulting stuff, tinkering around mostly, and so I’ve gotten to know folks at most of the airlines.”_

_“Tony’s being modest,” Pepper interrupted. “He finished his PhD about six months after Peter was born and since then, he’s done, what, two more? He consults for loads of companies about robotic technology and other stuff I don’t understand.”_

_Tony nodded briefly and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I get bored easily. It’s not a big deal.”_

_“I think 3 PhDs by the time you’re 40 is a big fucking deal, pal,” Bucky interjected. “What the hell are you doing teaching at Stonybrook?”_

_“I wanted Peter to have a normal childhood, because I didn’t really get one,” Tony explained. “My family are blue blood New Englanders, like over on the Mayflower bullshit, and I didn’t want Peter growing up worried about creases in his pants. I knew the president of Stonybrook back then - a guy named Coulson - and he offered me a lab and a teaching position. And then I discovered I really loved teaching,” Tony shrugged._

Everything he had first thought about Pepper’s best friend was wrong. He had no idea what to do with that information.

Especially when you combined it with the fact that Tony also possessed eyes that Steve could lose himself in, hair he dreamed of running his fingers through, and an ass he had to fight to keep his hands off…

Yup, Steve Rogers had no idea what to do with his crush on Tony Stark.

A few days later, Bucky cornered Steve in their kitchen and stared him down.

“What? You’re freaking me out,” Steve tried to dodge Bucky, but found himself trapped by the coffee pot.

“You’ve been making eyes at Stark since New Year’s,” Bucky replied. “When are you gonna sack up and make a move?”

“What the fuck are you talking about,” Steve spat out, a feeling of slight panic climbing up his spine. He had sworn he’d been steathy with his thirsting.

“I mean, none of us are getting any younger here, so chop chop, Rogers,” Bucky said with a hint of exasperation. “You like him, he clearly digs you-”

“He does not clearly dig me,” Steve protested. “And dig? Are we in 1965? Back off, Buck.”

Bucky eyed Steve carefully. “He’ll say yes, you know. Pep and I have been watching you two, and he’ll say yes.”

Without another word, Bucky grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl and headed off to the living room.

_They think he’d say yes?_

* * *

“I talked to my idiot,” Pepper said a few nights later as she and Bucky were snuggled on the couch watching television.

“I talked to mine,” Bucky replied, playing with Pepper’s hair idly.

“How long do we give them?”

“Oh,” Bucky smiled, “Peter’s copped on now, too, so I think we get to just watch.”

* * *

**Middle of** **April**

_WhatsApp: Dad &Pete_

_Peter: Call me when you’re out of class._

_Peter: I’m fine, I just have a question._

Tony looked at his phone with a puzzled expression on his face. The last time Peter asked Tony to call him was… he literally couldn’t remember the time. He wrapped up his lecture and headed back to his office, dialing Peter as soon as he sat down.

“Dad, since when are you dating Prof Rogers?” Peter asked when Tony picked up the phone.

“I’m not,” Tony said slowly.

“Literally my entire campus thinks you are,” Peter replied.

“Well, that is an example of the kind of hyperbole that gets you in trouble,” Tony stalled.

“Well,” Peter said, imitating his father, “you showed up to the senior art show, which I’m clearly not in, you went to a baseball game with him, which you didn’t even mention to me you were doing, and he’s told four stories about you in art classes over the past two weeks in which he calls you ‘my friend Tony’ and MJ tells me you’ve talked about him as lecture examples twice this month.”

“You mean your girlfriend, MJ?”

“Do not deflect with me, old man,” Peter threatened. “Just answer the question.”

“No,” Tony said definitively. “We’re just friends, Peter. I know it seems like we are because we’re around Aunt Pepper and Bucky so much, but no, just friends.”

“Dammit,” Peter swore.

“Why?”

“Because I like him, Dad, and I thought he could make you happy,” Peter confessed. “I was pissed that other people knew before me, but I was excited that there would be someone for you.”

“Petey pie,” Tony’s voice went soft. “I’m fine. I have people, you don’t need to worry about me.”

Tony heard Peter sigh deeply on the other end of the phone. “Just… just for the record, I like him. Whatever you want to do or not do, I love you and I just want you to be… happy.”

Tony knew better than to try to argue Peter into believing that his dad was happy - especially because except for Peter and his work, Tony didn’t quite remember what that felt like. Content? Yes, he knew that emotion. Proud? Of course, both of his work and of his son. But happy? That felt intangible.

“Thanks, Pete,” Tony smiled into the phone, hoping it brightened his tone. “Now, since I’ve got you on the phone, how is your calc project turning out?”

* * *

**Exactly 51 Hours Later, Not That Tony Was Counting**

_WhatsApp: Stark and Steve_

_Stark: I hear the happy couple are at yours tonight. I have an empty house and a guest bed._

_Steve: You know, I’m gonna take you up on that. Bucky’s got this schmoopy expression on his face so I’d better clear out._

_Stark: Yikes. Pizza?_

_Steve: I’ll stop at Giardini’s on the way in._

_Stark: Get garlic knots._

_Steve: Obviously._

About an hour later, Steve was at Tony’s door, and they quickly settled into a living room picnic. Tony threw a baseball game on the TV, and they proceeded to spend the next hour eating and yelling at various calls and making small talk. When the food was finally gone, Tony cleared away the debris and settled back down on the couch.

“Hey, Rogers?”

“Yeah?” Steve replied, not looking at him.

“I had a really interesting call from Peter a few days ago,” Tony began. He started fiddling with the hem of his t-shirt because he needed something to do with his hands.

At Peter’s name, Steve turned his attention to Tony. “Is he okay?”

“Oh, he’s fine,” Tony said quickly. “Completely fine. Thriving even. You know Pete. But he called about a rumor going around the campus.”

“That we’re dating?”

Tony blinked rapid fire and nodded.

“I’ve heard it, too,” Steve confessed.

“You have,” Tony replied and struggled to keep any emotion out of his voice.

Steve nodded and peered closely at Tony. “Evidently, they think we all got together over Christmas. We have a hashtag.”

Tony could not process all this fast enough. First of all, Steve didn’t seem bothered by this rumor. Second of all, why the living hell did they have a hashtag? “We have a hashtag,” Tony repeated slowly.

“I don’t know what it is,” Steve confessed, “because if I asked the student who told me, I would have revealed that I’m a terrible millennial and I hate social media, and so I just kept my mouth shut.”

Tony laughed. “So, are you mad about it?”

“The everyone thinking we’re dating thing? Not particularly,” Steve shrugged.

“You’re not?” That time, he knew his voice squeaked.

Steve turned his body on the couch so that he was completely facing Tony and Tony felt his entire body warm under Steve’s gaze. “No. Are you?”

“Mad that everyone thinks I’m dating the most attractive man in the United States of America and quite possibly the planet? No, can’t say that I am,” Tony replied.

Steve looked over at him through those eyelashes that went on for days and Tony lost all sense of resolve. As soon as he had started talking about this, the air around them had shifted. Something felt different and it led to Tony feeling brave.

“You think I’m attractive?” Steve clarified.

“Oh, please,” Tony scoffed. “Like you don’t know you’re gorgeous. I’m an old mess of a single dad, you are who should be offended.”

“And yet,” Steve moved just a little closer, “I find myself completely okay with being attached to the most brilliant man in the United States of America and quite possibly the planet, who also happens to be heart-stoppingly gorgeous. So, to repeat myself, no, I’m not bothered by everyone thinking we’re dating because I figure it means I can do this.”

Before Tony could protest, Steve’s lips were on his and something in him slotted into place. This, Tony thought, is what people mean by feeling happy.

* * *

**Epilogue: Three Years Later**

“STEVEN,” Tony called from the living room, his eyes not leaving the spot on the carpet. “STEVEN GRANT!”

“Jesus, Tones, I’m coming, what,” Steve bounded down the steps from his studio and saw what Tony was looking at. “Fuck, I’m sorry.”

“We can’t have Mya accidentally eating charcoal.”

Steve sighed. “It must have been on my feet.”

Tony took a deep breath and counted to ten before turning towards his husband. “Pepper’s gonna be here with her any minute. Any minute, Steven, and our _goddaughter_ could be crawling all along this carpet which I just had cleaned because our goddaughter is coming and I don’t want anything in her mouth that could _kill_ her. Am I being dramatic? I don’t think so.”

Steve pursed his lips to keep back a smile. _Someday, he’ll use words for his emotions. Today is evidently not that day_. Out loud, he addressed Tony. “That stain is charcoal dust from my feet, baby, not actual chunks of charcoal. I’ll get it cleaned up and I’ll go take a shower, I’m at a stopping point anyway, and why don’t you go make sure all the soda and beer is in the buckets in the backyard?”

“Are you managing me?” Tony scowled.

“Yes,” Steve replied, popping a kiss on Tony’s nose and then pulling him into a hug. “Peter is still your baby boy, even though he’s a college graduate, honey.”

Steve felt, rather than heard, his husband sniff and was gratified that he made the right call as to what the root cause of the meltdown was. “He’s just… I’m so proud.”

“He knows, baby, he knows,” Steve said soothingly. “This is a big day for you both.”

“For all of us,” Tony clung to Steve a bit harder. “For the whole family.”

Steve loved how often Tony made sure that Steve knew he was a part of the family as well - Tony and Peter never made Steve feel left out, but the reality was that Steve had only been in their lives for three years. There were simply some events that belonged to Tony and Peter alone and college graduation was one of them.

“Baby, I’ll go shower, you go check the coolers and wait for Buck and Pep and Mya, and then we’ll go from there, okay?”

“Okay.”

“And maybe eat something?”

“I’m fine.”

“After the banana at midnight, what have you eaten?”

“Um, coffee? And that muffin they gave out at the reception.” Tony scrunched his face as he pulled himself out of Steve’s embrace.

“Cool,” Steve nodded. “It’s 4pm, so I’d really love it if you could eat something with protein in it.”

“Yes, mom,” Tony grumbled, but headed for the pantry.

Surprising literally no one, Peter graduated Magna Cum Laude from Fallwell State with a degree in mechanical engineering. The ceremony - which had been interminably long - had been that morning and now the Stark-Rogers’ were throwing a big bash in the backyard for Peter and all his friends. They were expecting around 100 people to cycle in and out over the next five or six hours of the open house.

Peter had stayed on campus to see a few of his friends walk in their ceremony that afternoon - hard sciences had graduated in the morning, whereas social sciences and liberal arts were in the afternoon - and the Barnes’ had gone back to their house to let 6-month-old Mya eat and sleep for a bit before they came over to the party.

“Hey, Tony,” Steve said, his voice heavy with the emotion of the day.

“Hey, Steve,” Tony smiled back and went back into his husband’s arms.

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

 _Yeah,_ Tony thought, _this is what happy feels like. With charcoal dust all over my house and sometimes even in my eyes if I interrupt him, and the smell of turpentine, and the sound of Peter’s friends, and the feeling of family. This is what I was missing. This is what I needed and didn’t know it._

“Now,” Steve kissed the top of Tony’s head and smiled. “Let’s party.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! If you like how I write these charmers, I have _many_ more Steve/Tony tales and all of them feature Bucky and Pepper being BAMFs in some way. 
> 
> Find me on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/betheflame1) or [Tumblr](http://betheflame.tumblr.com) for more on these yahoos. You can also submit prompts and cajole me into writing faster - it usually works. If you're on Discord, I'm definitely there, too, and probably hanging in the [Stony](https://discord.gg/z5WSqbS) or [Stuckony](https://discord.gg/jtXcc3n) servers.


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